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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: sharp · suit · toast · wake · march · lash · season · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. suit — to fit
  5. march — the month
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. sharp — clever
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. season — in sport
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — in cards
  15. march — music
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. season — of the year
  20. march — the month
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wake — before a funeral

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