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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. staff — employees
  3. cell — in biology
  4. staff — employees
  5. bound — certain
  6. season — of the year
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. mug — a face
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mug — a cup
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — in sport
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mug — to rob

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