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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — a trail
  5. net — for catching
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — a friend
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. net — after costs
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — to breed
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rule — government
  22. net — in sport
  23. rule — a law
  24. ball — a great time

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