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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. court — for sport
  5. suit — in cards
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. court — of a king
  8. bass — low music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rule — government
  14. bass — the fish
  15. rash — hasty
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. court — of law
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rule — a law
  22. track — a song
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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