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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pop — music
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — music
  9. bound — certain
  10. capital — money
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. can — a tin
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pop — to visit
  17. capital — a city
  18. bound — tied together
  19. pop — soda
  20. tube — the underground
  21. craft — boats
  22. can — to be able to
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. can — a tin

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