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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stem — to come from
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — of water
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. toast — bread
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. dip — to sink
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. current — electric
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. current — happening now
  24. mark — a trace

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