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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. pop — soda
  6. last — finally
  7. game — a match
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. pop — music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. last — final
  18. last — to go on
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitch — completely

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