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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mark — a trace
  7. lean — to bend
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. wound — an injury

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