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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. net — in sport
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. suit — to fit
  10. net — for catching
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. suit — in cards
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. net — after costs
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. mark — a grade

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