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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. row — to paddle
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fine — high quality
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. current — electric
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fine — all right
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. current — happening now
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — a position
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. row — a line
  21. lie — to recline
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitch — completely
  24. current — of water

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