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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — to recline
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pound — a weight
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. kid — to tease
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. present — a gift
  14. kid — child
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lean — thin
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. lean — to bend
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. ball — a dance
  23. pitch — completely
  24. present — the time now

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