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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — a weight
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wound — an injury
  9. cue — a signal
  10. board — a committee
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. season — of the year
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. stand — to bear
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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