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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cap — a lid
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. tube — a container
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. can — a tin
  11. cap — a hat
  12. pitch — completely
  13. tube — the underground
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cap — of ice
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stand — to bear

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