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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. saw — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. swing — music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. board — to get on
  8. object — a thing
  9. board — a committee
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pitch — completely
  13. scale — in music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. object — to protest
  19. swing — to play on
  20. scale — size or range
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. saw — the tool

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