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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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. pitch — a sales talk
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pop — soda
  6. suit — to fit
  7. snap — to click
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. staff — a stick
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. staff — employees
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pop — music
  18. shower — to wash
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. shower — rain
  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