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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. toast — bread
  5. wound — an injury
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bound — certain
  10. season — in sport
  11. firm — a company
  12. race — humankind
  13. race — the arms race
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. season — of the year
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — steady
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. firm — decided
  23. bound — tied together
  24. race — a contest

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