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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a trace
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. cell — in biology
  11. mug — a cup
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. ball — a dance
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. race — a contest
  20. pitch — completely
  21. mug — a face
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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