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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — a company
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bound — obliged
  7. scale — in music
  8. last — finally
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bound — tied together
  12. scale — size or range
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — boats
  17. bound — certain
  18. rest — a break
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. last — final
  21. rest — what's left
  22. last — to go on
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. firm — steady

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