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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. cap — a hat
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mate — to breed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. mug — a face
  12. chest — a box
  13. tube — a container
  14. suit — to fit
  15. tube — the underground
  16. mate — a friend
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cap — a lid
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mate — a partner
  22. chest — of your body
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — for measuring

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