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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — to fit
  6. can — a tin
  7. track — a path
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — to be able to
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitch — completely
  16. staff — a stick
  17. suit — clothes
  18. track — to keep track
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. lie — to recline
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. staff — employees
  24. straw — a straw man

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