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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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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — a permit
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rock — a stone
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. spring — of water
  11. rock — music
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. spring — the season
  14. swing — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pitch — completely
  19. vault — a safe
  20. swing — in golf
  21. spring — a coil
  22. row — a line
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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