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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rush — hurry
  3. last — final
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. swing — in golf
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stem — to come from
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. last — finally
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. swing — music
  20. last — to go on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. stem — a stem cell

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