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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.

Make a worksheet

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: roll · hide · pass · squash · wound · firm · pitch · fine

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. firm — decided
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wound — an injury
  9. firm — a company
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. roll — a cake
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. roll — a list
  19. fine — all right
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wound — an injury
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fine — high quality

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