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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. pop — music
  5. branch — a division
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. pitch — completely
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. shower — rain
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. pop — soda
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rush — hurry
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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