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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chip — for betting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. lie — to recline
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a dance

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