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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rash — a series
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. spell — letters
  10. present — there
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. charge — in control
  15. spell — a short time
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. present — the time now
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — a gift
  23. spell — magic
  24. pitch — completely

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