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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pitch — completely
  5. can — to be able to
  6. rule — government
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. vault — a safe
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. snap — to click
  18. game — wild animals

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