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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cap — a lid
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. cap — of ice
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. ball — a round shape

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