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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cue — a signal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mark — a grade
  10. object — to protest
  11. spring — the season
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — a hint
  14. spring — of water
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. object — an aim
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lie — to recline
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cap — a lid
  22. object — a thing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pitch — completely

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