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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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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pop — music
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. wind — moving air
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pop — to visit
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pop — soda
  12. chest — of your body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. fine — high quality
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fine — all right
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rest — a break

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