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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. club — for golf
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. chest — of your body
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. chest — a box
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. key — in music
  18. chest — of your body
  19. rock — music
  20. club — a group
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. sharp — clever
  24. key — the most important part

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