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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. present — there
  5. can — a tin
  6. present — a gift
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. firm — steady
  9. can — to be able to
  10. squash — the sport
  11. firm — decided
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cell — in biology
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — a phone
  17. stock — goods
  18. present — the time now
  19. can — a tin
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — a company
  22. stock — shares
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stock — a soup base

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