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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. last — finally
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. last — final
  5. can — to be able to
  6. last — to go on
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. can — a tin
  14. mug — a cup
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the fish
  17. mug — to rob
  18. can — a tin
  19. mug — a face
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. rash — a series
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bass — low music

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