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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mark — a grade
  4. track — to keep track
  5. plane — a tool
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. court — for sport
  8. court — of law
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a trace
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fall — to drop
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fall — the season
  17. court — of a king
  18. track — a song
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — to drop
  22. track — a path
  23. pitch — completely
  24. plane — an aircraft

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