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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ball — a great time
  6. scale — in music
  7. roll — a list
  8. suit — to fit
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. suit — clothes
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. scale — size or range
  18. ball — a dance
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. snap — to click

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