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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. suit — clothes
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. mark — a trace
  5. row — a line
  6. pitch — completely
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — the season
  12. suit — to fit
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mark — a grade
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. bowl — a football final

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