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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mug — a face
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mug — a cup
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pit — in a race
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. mate — a partner
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rock — music
  24. pitch — completely

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