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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: ground · rule · hide · mate · pitcher · lie · toast · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. toast — bread
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. ground — a position
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. lie — to recline
  14. rule — a law
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mate — a partner
  20. rule — government
  21. pitch — completely
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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