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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. present — the time now
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stock — shares
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. present — a gift
  12. stock — goods
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. present — there
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline

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