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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 · prune · kick · snap · deal · cabinet · bulb · chest

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. kick — in football
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chest — a box
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. prune — to trim
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitch — completely
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. snap — to click
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bulb — for light

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