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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. wake — a trail
  4. degree — an amount
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. degree — temperature
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitch — completely
  10. present — a gift
  11. degree — from a university
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. ball — a dance
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. row — a line
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ball — a great time
  22. present — the time now
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. present — there

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