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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. lean — to bend
  4. spring — the season
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. board — to get on
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spring — of water
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. board — a committee
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. object — a thing
  17. lie — to recline
  18. spring — a coil
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. object — to protest

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