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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: lie · club · pitch · bear · court · firm

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. firm — a company
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. club — for golf
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. court — of law
  17. club — a group
  18. bear — the animal

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