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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: lash · file · pitch · leaves · pop · bear · deal · ruler

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pitch — completely
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bear — the animal
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. file — a tool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — to handle
  17. file — a line of people
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pop — soda
  22. file — a document
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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