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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: pitch · toast · suit · snap · mark · hide · lean · club

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. toast — bread
  3. club — for golf
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mark — a grade
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lean — to bend
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. lean — thin
  14. club — a group
  15. pitch — completely
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. club — for dancing
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. suit — in cards

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