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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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mug — a face
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. tube — the underground
  13. object — an aim
  14. wound — an injury
  15. object — to protest
  16. mug — to rob
  17. dip — to sink
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pass — a permit
  23. object — a thing
  24. tube — a container

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