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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pop — soda
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. row — a line
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. fork — in a road
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. pop — music
  11. present — there
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. present — a gift
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. prune — to trim
  20. dip — to sink
  21. prune — to trim
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. dip — to dunk

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