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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. drill — a practice
  3. charge — in control
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. cue — a signal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cue — for pool
  10. charge — a price
  11. spring — of water
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cue — a hint
  15. spring — the season
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — army training
  20. spring — a coil
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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