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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mine — for digging
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitch — completely
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — to be able to

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