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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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Word bank
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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: roll · bear · craft · pit · board · pitch · track · kick

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. track — a path
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bear — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. kick — in football
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. roll — a cake
  14. roll — a list
  15. track — to keep track
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. board — to get on
  18. pit — in a race
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — completely
  24. craft — a skill

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