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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. track — a path
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. capital — money
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. club — a group
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. chip — for betting
  11. club — for golf
  12. track — a song
  13. present — the time now
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — a gift
  16. present — there
  17. wake — a trail
  18. club — for dancing
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. capital — a city
  24. track — to keep track

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