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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. ball — a dance
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. land — to come down
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. land — ground
  14. ball — a great time
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. land — a country
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stem — to come from
  19. cue — for pool
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cue — a signal

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