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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hand — in cards
  6. object — an aim
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. object — to protest
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. object — a thing
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — hurry

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