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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 120 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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. court — of law
  5. object — a thing
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — a break
  10. court — for sport
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mine — for digging
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. object — to protest
  18. rest — what's left
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. court — of a king
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. object — an aim

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