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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. firm — decided
  9. cell — a phone
  10. firm — steady
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cold — an illness
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. firm — a company
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rock — music
  20. cold — not warm
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cell — in biology

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