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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. march — the month
  4. can — a tin
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. can — a tin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. march — the month
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pitch — completely
  15. march — music
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rule — to rule out

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