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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mug — to rob
  3. object — to protest
  4. object — a thing
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. mug — a face
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bat — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. object — an aim
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mark — a trace
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. cue — a hint

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