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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. cell — a phone
  3. track — to keep track
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. track — a song
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mine — for digging
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. track — a path
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bowl — to roll

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