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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: row · pitch · kick · firm · pop · leaves · can · race

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pop — music
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. row — to paddle
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — decided
  8. pop — to visit
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. firm — steady
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. race — a contest
  15. row — a line
  16. pop — soda
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. kick — in football
  19. firm — a company
  20. can — to be able to
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. pitch — a sports field

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com