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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rule — government
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bat — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mark — a grade
  24. mark — to pay attention

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