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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. object — a thing
  4. march — the month
  5. cue — for pool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. march — music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. object — to protest
  11. pass — a permit
  12. swing — music
  13. pitch — completely
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. march — the month
  16. cue — a signal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. swing — in golf
  19. snap — to click
  20. game — a match
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — an aim
  23. cue — a hint
  24. swing — to play on

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