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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 · cabinet · rush · land · object · rest · fork · pop

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pitch — completely
  4. object — to protest
  5. fork — in a road
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pop — soda
  9. land — ground
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — a country
  14. land — to come down
  15. object — a thing
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. object — an aim
  18. rest — what's left
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. rest — a break
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — music
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rush — a thrill

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