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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wind — moving air
  3. suit — clothes
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. mug — to rob
  9. content — happy
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mug — a face
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. squash — to crush
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. mug — a cup
  17. squash — the sport
  18. content — the amount
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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