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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 120 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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. mark — a trace
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pitch — completely
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. ruler — for measuring

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