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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. tear — from crying
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. track — a path
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. scale — size or range
  9. content — the amount
  10. scale — in music
  11. tear — to rip
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. march — the month
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. track — a song
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. march — music
  21. tear — from crying
  22. content — happy
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. track — to keep track

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