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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. fine — all right
  3. staff — a stick
  4. fine — high quality
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. staff — employees
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. club — a group
  21. current — happening now
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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