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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mate — to breed
  6. chair — a leader
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stock — shares
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — a gift
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mate — a friend
  23. present — there
  24. stock — a soup base

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