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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. firm — steady
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. firm — decided
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. present — there
  22. rush — hurry
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. present — the time now

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