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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a great time
  9. mine — for digging
  10. can — a tin
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. can — to be able to
  18. can — a tin
  19. spring — a coil
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — of water
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mouse — for a computer

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