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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cell — in biology
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chip — for betting
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. squash — to crush
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. cell — a phone

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