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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. present — the time now
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. present — a gift
  5. bear — the animal
  6. tube — the underground
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chest — of your body
  9. tube — a container
  10. rule — government
  11. chest — of your body
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rest — what's left
  14. present — there
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. chest — a box
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. can — a tin
  20. rule — a law
  21. can — a tin
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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