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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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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: cap · rush · suit · pop · ground · pitch · present · toast

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. suit — in cards
  3. pop — music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ground — a position
  6. pop — soda
  7. present — there
  8. ground — crushed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. present — the time now
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ground — the earth
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. rush — hurry
  19. present — a gift
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. toast — bread
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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