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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  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. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. tube — a container
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stock — goods
  11. pitch — completely
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. court — of a king
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. stock — shares
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. court — for sport
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. court — of law
  23. trunk — of a car
  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