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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 124 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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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: pitch · stand · pass · cabinet · file · kid · racket · lean

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. file — a tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a document
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. kid — child
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. stand — to bear
  21. kid — to tease
  22. file — a line of people
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — to bend

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