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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. present — the time now
  3. deal — to handle
  4. content — happy
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rash — a series
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. firm — a company
  12. ball — a great time
  13. firm — steady
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. club — a group
  16. content — the amount
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. firm — decided
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. club — for golf
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. club — for dancing

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