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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mark — a grade
  4. drill — army training
  5. pop — to visit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. object — an aim
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pop — soda
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. board — to get on
  14. object — a thing
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — completely
  17. object — to protest
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — to pay attention

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