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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · toast · shower · ruler · stick · wind

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. shower — to wash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wind — moving air
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — bread
  18. shower — rain

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