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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. court — of law
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. firm — steady
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. court — for sport
  9. board — to get on
  10. court — of a king
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — decided
  16. board — a committee
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — music
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. net — after costs
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. firm — a company
  24. net — in sport

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