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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. vault — a safe
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. cap — of ice
  12. pitch — completely
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fine — high quality
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. cap — a lid
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fine — all right
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cap — a hat

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