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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — completely
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spell — magic
  6. cold — not warm
  7. rush — hurry
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rest — what's left
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. suit — clothes
  16. dip — to sink
  17. spell — a short time
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. cold — an illness

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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