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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. content — the amount
  3. suit — clothes
  4. content — happy
  5. bound — certain
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bound — obliged
  10. suit — in cards
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. court — of law
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bank — for money
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. court — of a king
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. court — for sport
  24. fork — in a road

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