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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. race — humankind
  3. rock — a stone
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mate — to breed
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. mate — a friend
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — government
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rule — a law
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. race — the arms race
  21. race — a contest
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fork — in a road
  24. rock — music

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