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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. club — for golf
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. swing — to play on
  9. charge — a price
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lean — thin
  12. swing — music
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. charge — in control
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. club — a group
  19. kid — to tease
  20. toast — bread
  21. kid — child
  22. swing — in golf
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. club — for dancing

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