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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 124 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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. firm — steady
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — decided
  8. key — the most important part
  9. toast — bread
  10. bear — the animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. key — for a lock
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. degree — temperature
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. key — in music
  23. rash — a series
  24. bear — the animal

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