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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. club — for dancing
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. squash — to crush
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pass — a permit
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — in cards
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. dip — to sink
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitch — a sports field

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