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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. track — a song
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bound — tied together
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. bound — certain
  16. track — a path
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mug — a face
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cabinet — ministers

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