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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pitch — completely
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. can — a tin
  7. object — a thing
  8. squash — to crush
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. club — for dancing
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. can — to be able to
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. object — to protest
  21. club — a group
  22. can — a tin
  23. object — an aim
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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