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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. track — a path
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fork — in a road
  8. track — a song
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. chip — for betting
  17. track — to keep track
  18. game — a match
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. chip — to eat
  21. game — wild animals
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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