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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 116 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lean — to bend
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pop — soda
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lean — thin
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pop — to visit
  19. deal — to handle
  20. pop — music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mug — to rob
  24. pitch — a sports field

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