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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pitch — completely
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — a country
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. land — to come down
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pound — a weight
  15. land — ground
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitch — a sports field

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