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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cell — in biology
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. drill — a practice
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bound — certain
  9. pop — soda
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bound — obliged
  12. face — to confront
  13. pop — music
  14. drill — the tool
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cell — a phone
  19. face — part of the head
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pop — to visit
  24. drill — army training

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