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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. drill — a practice
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. can — a tin
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. tube — a container
  8. drill — army training
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. can — to be able to
  13. drill — the tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. spring — the season
  16. swing — music
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. tube — the underground
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. swing — to play on
  21. spring — a coil
  22. saw — the tool
  23. swing — in golf
  24. can — a tin

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