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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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mate — a partner
  7. firm — decided
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. firm — steady
  20. firm — a company
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — a permit
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mate — to breed

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