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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. deal — to handle
  8. present — the time now
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. present — there
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bark — to shout
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. present — a gift
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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