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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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. row — a line
  4. cap — a lid
  5. object — a thing
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cue — a hint
  11. object — to protest
  12. mark — a grade
  13. deal — to handle
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cue — for pool
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. object — an aim
  24. row — to paddle

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