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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. rest — a break
  5. branch — a division
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. club — a group
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. sharp — clever
  13. tear — from crying
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tear — to rip
  16. tear — from crying
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pitch — completely
  19. club — for golf
  20. club — for dancing
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. branch — of a tree

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