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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — in music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. rock — a stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rock — music
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pitch — completely
  19. swing — music
  20. lean — thin
  21. suit — in cards
  22. lean — to bend
  23. swing — in golf
  24. swing — to play on

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