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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.

Make a worksheet

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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pitch — completely
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — army training
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a line of people
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. file — a document
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a tool
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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