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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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mark — a trace
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. charge — a price
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — a container
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. board — a committee
  18. charge — in control
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. board — to get on
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tube — the underground
  24. sharp — clever

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