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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. ball — a great time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. march — the month
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. march — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. march — the month
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ball — a round shape

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