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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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468
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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mate — a friend
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mine — for digging
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chair — a leader
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a great time
  11. cue — for pool
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cue — a hint
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. cue — a signal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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