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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rock — music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stock — shares
  7. branch — a division
  8. race — a contest
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mark — a grade
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fine — all right
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. race — the arms race
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  24. race — humankind

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