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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lean — thin
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. field — a subject
  5. field — farmland
  6. field — for sport
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. board — a committee
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. board — to get on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. ball — a great time
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lean — to bend
  23. ball — a dance
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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