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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bound — tied together
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bound — certain
  6. foot — a measure
  7. drill — a practice
  8. track — a path
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. drill — army training
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rule — a law
  18. track — to keep track
  19. drill — the tool
  20. track — a song
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. cap — of ice
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — government

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