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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. object — to protest
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — an aim
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fall — the season
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. band — a ring
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. band — a music group
  22. fall — to drop
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. chair — a leader

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