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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 120 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: kick · pitch · ruler · saw · root · lash · hand · deal

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. root — the cause
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. kick — in football
  11. deal — to handle
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. root — of a word
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — in cards
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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