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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — to handle
  9. hand — in cards
  10. swing — to play on
  11. lie — to recline
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. swing — in golf
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. stand — to bear
  23. swing — music
  24. hand — help

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