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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.

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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: firm · mate · pitch · rush · hide · stick · content · swing

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. rush — hurry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. swing — music
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mate — a partner
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. content — the amount
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. content — happy
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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