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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pitch — completely
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — to rob
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bank — of a river
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. rule — a law
  12. sharp — clever
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — government
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mug — a face
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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