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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — clothes
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bore — to drill
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rush — hurry
  18. row — a line
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. suit — in cards

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