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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. mug — a face
  6. court — of a king
  7. cap — a hat
  8. row — to paddle
  9. mug — a cup
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chip — to eat
  14. court — for sport
  15. chip — for betting
  16. court — of law
  17. row — a line
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cap — of ice
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fine — all right
  24. mug — to rob

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