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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — wild animals
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — a match
  10. perch — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mark — a trace
  19. toast — bread
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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