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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. season — in sport
  4. pitch — completely
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — in cards
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. object — an aim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. suit — to fit
  18. pound — a weight
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. object — a thing
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stand — to bear
  24. snap — to click

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