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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · present · rock · pitch · kid · rush · firm · cap

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. content — happy
  3. kid — to tease
  4. present — the time now
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. present — there
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — steady
  12. content — the amount
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. kid — child
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rock — music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. firm — a company
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. rush — hurry
  21. firm — decided
  22. cap — a lid
  23. rock — a stone
  24. content — videos and posts

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