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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. tube — a container
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. lie — to recline
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pound — a weight
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mouse — for a computer

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