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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: rush · fine · race · dip · pitch · straw · wake · temple

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fine — all right
  15. race — the arms race
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rush — hurry
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wake — before a funeral

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