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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. pitch — completely
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. swing — music
  7. firm — a company
  8. ground — crushed
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. swing — in golf
  12. snap — to click
  13. cap — of ice
  14. ground — the earth
  15. firm — decided
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. swing — to play on
  19. firm — steady
  20. cap — a lid
  21. ground — a position
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cap — a hat
  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