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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. rash — hasty
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bat — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. toast — bread
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rash — a series
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. roll — a list
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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