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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. snap — to click
  3. firm — a company
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. spring — of water
  8. last — final
  9. spring — a coil
  10. last — to go on
  11. charge — a price
  12. spring — the season
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. last — finally
  16. charge — in control
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. firm — steady
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. firm — decided
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. charge — electricity
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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