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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. club — for golf
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — a permit
  7. ball — a great time
  8. rush — hurry
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. ground — a position
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ground — the earth
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. club — a group
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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