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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. swing — in golf
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. content — happy
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. swing — music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. stand — to bear
  13. content — the amount
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ball — a dance
  17. band — a music group
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. band — a ring
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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