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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bore — to drill
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pitch — completely
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — in cards
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ground — a position
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ground — the earth
  23. suit — clothes
  24. prune — to trim

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