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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. object — to protest
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — a thing
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. content — the amount
  10. can — a tin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. object — an aim
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. pitch — completely
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. content — happy
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — on your feet

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