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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pitch — completely
  3. current — happening now
  4. mate — a partner
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rest — what's left
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. clip — a video
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. firm — a company
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a signal
  24. firm — steady

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