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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pitch — completely
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. shower — rain
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — to bear
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mine — for digging
  22. shower — to wash
  23. club — a group
  24. pitch — a sports field

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