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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: mouse · pitch · foot · content · roll · mark · bear · sharp

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — the animal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. foot — a measure
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. content — the amount
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bear — the animal
  17. roll — a list
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. content — happy
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pitch — completely

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