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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. chest — of your body
  7. mug — to rob
  8. chest — of your body
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bound — tied together
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — to fit
  14. toast — bread
  15. mug — a face
  16. chest — a box
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pop — soda
  21. mug — a cup
  22. suit — clothes
  23. pop — music
  24. pitch — a sports field

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