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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitch — completely
  3. chest — of your body
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. foot — a measure
  11. chest — a box
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. capital — a city
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chest — of your body
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. capital — money

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