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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 124 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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pitch — completely
  9. squash — the sport
  10. cell — in biology
  11. rule — a law
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. rule — government
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. board — to get on
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — to crush
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — a trace

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