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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rest — a break
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rock — a stone
  10. wound — an injury
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rock — music
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pound — a weight
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rest — what's left
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wound — an injury

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