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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bound — obliged
  3. staff — a stick
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. cell — in biology
  7. race — a contest
  8. ball — a dance
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. staff — employees
  11. race — the arms race
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. face — to point toward
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. staff — employees
  19. bound — certain
  20. cell — a phone
  21. race — humankind
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rush — hurry

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