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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. tube — a container
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pop — soda
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pop — to visit
  8. tube — the underground
  9. band — a ring
  10. pop — music
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fall — to drop
  13. season — of the year
  14. ball — a great time
  15. season — in sport
  16. band — a music group
  17. bound — certain
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — obliged

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