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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. swing — in golf
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. track — to keep track
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. track — a path
  8. firm — a company
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. degree — from a university
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. firm — decided
  13. swing — music
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. degree — temperature
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. degree — an amount
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. track — a song
  24. vault — a safe

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