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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bass — the fish
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — there
  8. date — the fruit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. present — the time now
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. race — humankind
  18. stem — to come from
  19. charge — in control
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bass — low music
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — to recline

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