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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 116 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. present — the time now
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — an aim
  9. court — of a king
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rush — hurry
  12. mark — a grade
  13. object — a thing
  14. court — for sport
  15. object — to protest
  16. court — of law
  17. mate — to breed
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. mate — a friend
  22. mate — a partner
  23. present — a gift
  24. pitch — a sports field

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