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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mug — to rob
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rash — a series
  5. suit — clothes
  6. kid — child
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. swing — to play on
  10. pitch — completely
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. kid — to tease
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mug — a cup
  18. firm — a company
  19. mug — a face
  20. rash — hasty
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. swing — music
  24. prune — to trim

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