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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mug — to rob
  4. ball — a dance
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fine — all right
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mug — a face
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rock — music
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rock — a stone
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — high quality

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