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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bulb — for light
  12. face — to confront
  13. bulb — for light
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. face — part of the head
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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