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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. present — the time now
  3. drill — army training
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. present — a gift
  6. staff — employees
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. present — there
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a great time
  17. staff — a stick
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. dip — a sauce

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