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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. current — happening now
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ground — the earth
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ground — a position
  14. current — of water
  15. pitch — completely
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rock — music
  21. current — electric
  22. ground — crushed
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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