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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. spell — letters
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mug — a face
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rule — government
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rule — a law
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. fine — all right
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. racket — for tennis

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