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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. squash — the sport
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. spring — of water
  6. spring — the season
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spell — a short time
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. sharp — clever
  19. spell — magic
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spell — letters
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. spring — a coil

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