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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. scale — in music
  4. board — to get on
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. race — humankind
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. mark — a grade
  9. scale — size or range
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. perch — the fish
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. race — the arms race
  15. mine — for digging
  16. board — a committee
  17. race — a contest
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mark — to pay attention

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