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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ground — the earth
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. ground — crushed
  9. can — a tin
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. race — a contest
  12. board — to get on
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. ground — a position
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. race — the arms race
  21. board — a committee
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — humankind
  24. pitch — completely

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