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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rush — hurry
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rash — hasty
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bear — the animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. board — to get on
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rock — music
  17. board — a committee
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rash — a series
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rush — a thrill

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