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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. file — a document
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. firm — steady
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. file — a tool
  10. track — a path
  11. bark — to shout
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. squash — the sport
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. track — a song
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. firm — decided
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. track — to keep track
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. firm — a company

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