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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. pop — music
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. swing — music
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pop — soda
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. game — a match
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rash — a series
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. lean — to bend
  24. safe — a strongbox

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