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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: firm · pitch · bulb · perch · craft · pit · kick · nail

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — steady
  6. pit — a hole
  7. craft — boats
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. kick — in football
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. bulb — for light
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. firm — decided
  18. craft — a skill
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pitch — completely
  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