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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. season — in sport
  4. land — to come down
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. mate — a partner
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. land — a country
  10. lie — to recline
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mate — to breed
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. season — of the year
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. land — ground
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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