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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. hand — help
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — completely
  7. fine — high quality
  8. foot — a measure
  9. track — a song
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. wake — a trail
  14. track — a path
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. hand — in cards
  20. fine — all right
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. hand — part of the body

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