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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: present · deal · march · kick · shower · can · pitch · rest

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. shower — rain
  3. march — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rest — a break
  7. present — a gift
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. present — there
  10. present — the time now
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. kick — in football
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. deal — to handle
  16. march — the month
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — to wash
  21. can — to be able to
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. march — the month
  24. kick — a thrill

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