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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mug — to rob
  5. current — happening now
  6. stand — to bear
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — music
  9. current — of water
  10. game — wild animals
  11. rock — a stone
  12. craft — boats
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. craft — a skill
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. pitch — completely
  18. game — a match
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mug — a face
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. game — a kind of play

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