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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. field — for sport
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — a subject
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rest — a break
  7. content — the amount
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bass — the fish
  13. board — to get on
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bass — low music
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. field — farmland
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rest — what's left
  23. content — happy
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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