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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — to rob
  4. last — final
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. last — to go on
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a skill
  10. last — finally
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. mug — a face
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — boats
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mug — a cup
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mouse — the animal

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