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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. root — the cause
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. chest — a box
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. root — of a word
  15. staff — employees
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. lie — to recline
  18. chest — of your body
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ball — a great time
  24. lash — to lash 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