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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. suit — to fit
  3. staff — a stick
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. staff — employees
  6. cap — a hat
  7. pitch — completely
  8. staff — employees
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. suit — clothes
  12. court — of a king
  13. suit — in cards
  14. court — for sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — of ice
  18. court — of law

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