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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 120 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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. pitch — completely
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mate — to breed
  6. land — a country
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. rock — a stone
  10. dip — to sink
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. land — ground
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. mate — a partner
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. mate — a friend
  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