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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 116 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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ball — a great time
  4. current — electric
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. fall — to drop
  7. suit — to fit
  8. march — the month
  9. current — of water
  10. fall — the season
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — to drop
  15. current — happening now
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. march — music
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. pitch — completely

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