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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. vault — a safe
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rule — a law
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rule — government
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. toast — bread
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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