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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: mouse · pitch · object · firm · saw · date · pop · hide

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. date — the fruit
  4. object — to protest
  5. pop — music
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pop — soda
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. firm — steady
  17. pop — to visit
  18. firm — a company
  19. pitch — completely
  20. object — a thing
  21. firm — decided
  22. saw — the tool
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. object — an aim

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