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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cell — a phone
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. capital — money
  11. bound — tied together
  12. capital — a city
  13. roll — a list
  14. pass — a permit
  15. bound — certain
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. bore — to drill
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mug — a face

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