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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — after costs
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. swing — in golf
  8. tube — the underground
  9. net — for catching
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bear — the animal
  14. tube — a container
  15. rest — what's left
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — to rob
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. net — in sport
  22. rest — a break
  23. pitch — completely
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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