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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. club — for dancing
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. club — for golf
  12. row — to paddle
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. lie — to recline
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mug — a face
  24. row — a line

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