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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.

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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — the season
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. firm — decided
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. deal — to handle
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mark — a grade
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pitch — completely
  16. firm — steady
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fall — to drop
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mark — a trace
  21. file — a line of people
  22. file — a tool
  23. file — a document
  24. firm — a company

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