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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. swing — to play on
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. band — a music group
  5. board — to get on
  6. band — a ring
  7. pitch — completely
  8. swing — in golf
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. board — a committee
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. swing — music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fall — the season
  24. temple — a place of worship

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