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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. content — the amount
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. present — a gift
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rest — a break
  14. present — there
  15. present — the time now
  16. ball — a great time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. content — happy
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pass — a permit
  24. rest — what's left

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