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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: sharp · pass · rush · present · pitch · mouse · hand · squash

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. present — the time now
  3. sharp — clever
  4. hand — in cards
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. present — there
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. present — a gift
  24. rush — hurry

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