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

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stand — to bear
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pitch — completely
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mark — a grade

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