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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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. firm — decided
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bound — certain
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bound — tied together
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bound — obliged
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — steady
  13. club — a group
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitch — completely
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. club — for golf

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