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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 120 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. rush — hurry
  18. game — wild animals
  19. ground — the earth
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — to bear
  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