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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. hand — help
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rule — government
  14. pound — a weight
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea

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