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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. swing — to play on
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — a grade
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cue — a hint
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wind — moving air
  15. cue — for pool
  16. wind — moving air
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pass — a permit
  21. swing — music
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. mark — to pay attention

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