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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. net — for catching
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ground — the earth
  7. net — in sport
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fall — to drop
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. net — after costs
  15. fall — the season
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ground — crushed
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. ground — a position
  24. ruler — a monarch

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