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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. present — a gift
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rash — a series
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — a company
  11. present — there
  12. firm — steady
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — the time now
  16. last — final
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. last — to go on
  19. fork — in a road
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — hasty
  22. last — finally
  23. firm — decided
  24. foot — a measure

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