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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cap — a hat
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. saw — the tool
  7. track — a song
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitch — completely
  10. current — happening now
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a great time
  14. current — of water
  15. track — a path
  16. cap — of ice
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. track — to keep track
  23. current — electric
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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