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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 120 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: mark · lie · pitch · rock · hide · present · tube · sharp

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a grade
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. present — a gift
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. sharp — clever
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tube — the underground
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — a container
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mark — a trace
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. rock — music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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