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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. track — a song
  3. bound — certain
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. firm — a company
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. chip — for betting
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bound — tied together
  16. track — a path
  17. firm — decided
  18. pitch — completely
  19. track — to keep track
  20. chip — to eat
  21. firm — steady
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bat — for baseball

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