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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: pitch · row · stand · rush · fork · kick · saw · cue

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — in football
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — a hint
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. row — to paddle
  18. cue — for pool
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pitch — completely

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