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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 116 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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. scale — in music
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rule — government
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bear — the animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rock — music

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