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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. present — the time now
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. can — to be able to
  6. key — in music
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — a hat
  9. present — there
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. cap — of ice
  12. present — a gift
  13. cap — a lid
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. key — for a lock
  16. row — to paddle
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — music
  23. row — a line
  24. rock — to move gently

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