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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. spring — the season
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a grade
  6. bound — certain
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. spring — a coil
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bound — obliged
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rule — government
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. spring — of water
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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