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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fall — to drop
  3. tube — a container
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. race — the arms race
  6. rock — music
  7. charge — a price
  8. race — a contest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. race — humankind
  11. rock — a stone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lie — to recline
  19. charge — in control
  20. tube — the underground
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. fall — the season

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