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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: stick · season · sharp · ball · lie · lean · content · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  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 — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a dance
  5. season — in sport
  6. lean — to bend
  7. sharp — clever
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. lie — to recline
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lean — thin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. season — of the year
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. content — happy
  21. content — the amount
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lie — an untruth
  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