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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. cold — not warm
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pound — a weight
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. cue — a signal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. cue — a hint
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cold — an illness
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. leaves — lets stay

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