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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stem — to come from
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a ring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. race — a contest
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — in cards
  19. race — the arms race
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. can — a tin
  22. race — humankind
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pitcher — a jug

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