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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. field — farmland
  3. rush — hurry
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fine — all right
  11. toast — bread
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. charge — electricity
  16. board — a committee
  17. field — for sport
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — high quality
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. board — to get on
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. dip — to sink
  24. field — a subject

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