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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bound — certain
  7. bound — tied together
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bound — obliged
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. chair — a leader
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. cue — a hint
  21. tear — from crying
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. calf — a young animal

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