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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. roll — a list
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rest — what's left
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rest — a break
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. bear — the animal
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wake — a trail
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. roll — a cake

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