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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. race — a contest
  6. charge — a price
  7. track — a song
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. race — humankind
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. track — a path
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. stand — to bear
  22. race — the arms race
  23. track — to keep track
  24. bat — the animal

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