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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. ground — crushed
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ground — a position
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bass — low music
  12. cap — of ice
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a dance
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bass — the fish
  18. cap — a hat
  19. ground — the earth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bound — certain

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