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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — a measure
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. current — of water
  11. perch — the fish
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pitch — completely
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. current — happening now
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. squash — to crush
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. current — electric

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