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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 got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. last — finally
  7. object — a thing
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. last — final
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — to protest
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stand — to bear
  17. shower — rain
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. shower — to wash
  21. last — to go on
  22. rush — hurry
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. object — an aim

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