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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rush — hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. march — music
  9. mark — a trace
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — a company
  12. march — the month
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. march — the month
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — steady
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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