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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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. present — the time now
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. present — a gift
  9. ball — a great time
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a dance
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — there
  24. pass — to succeed

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