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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. firm — a company
  5. present — the time now
  6. firm — decided
  7. tear — from crying
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. tear — from crying
  19. present — a gift
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tear — to rip
  24. staff — a stick

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