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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. charge — in control
  8. kick — in football
  9. land — to come down
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. land — a country
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. rash — a series
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. charge — a price
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — for light
  24. land — ground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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