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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. capital — a city
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. capital — money
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. mug — to rob
  15. rule — a law
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rock — music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. mug — a face
  21. rule — government
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wind — moving air

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