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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. suit — clothes
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. can — a tin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cue — for pool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. shower — rain
  20. lean — thin
  21. lie — to recline
  22. shower — to wash
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lie — an untruth

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