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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: kick · jam · rule · pitch · straw · nail · capital · hide

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pitch — completely
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. kick — in football
  7. capital — money
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rule — government
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. capital — a city
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rule — a law
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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