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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. club — for dancing
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mug — a face
  6. rule — government
  7. club — for golf
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. club — a group
  10. pitch — completely
  11. court — of a king
  12. bank — for money
  13. rule — a law
  14. court — for sport
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bank — for money
  17. mug — to rob
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — farmland
  20. court — of law
  21. field — for sport
  22. bank — of a river
  23. mug — a cup
  24. sharp — clever

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