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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. pitch — completely
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — to fit
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. suit — clothes
  9. hand — help
  10. hand — in cards
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. stock — shares
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — goods
  19. sharp — clever
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — in cards

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