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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 were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pit — in a race
  5. board — a committee
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. scale — in music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. scale — size or range
  13. court — for sport
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. board — to get on
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. court — of law
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. court — of a king
  23. rock — music
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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