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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. tube — a container
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. march — the month
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. march — music
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. tube — the underground
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. march — the month
  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