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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 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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. firm — steady
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bound — tied together
  6. hand — help
  7. firm — decided
  8. bound — certain
  9. firm — a company
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — completely
  18. cue — for pool

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