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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rock — music
  8. stem — to come from
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — to fit
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. rash — hasty
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rash — a series
  20. ball — a great time
  21. foot — a measure
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitch — a sports field

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