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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. scale — in music
  12. object — a thing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pound — a weight
  15. degree — an amount
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — an aim
  19. degree — temperature
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. deal — to handle
  22. degree — from a university
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. scale — for weighing

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