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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. spring — of water
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. spring — the season
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mark — a grade
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. kid — child
  16. kid — to tease
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. spring — a coil
  22. game — wild animals
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mark — a trace

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