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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lean — to bend
  8. spell — a short time
  9. track — a path
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. charge — electricity
  12. tear — from crying
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. lean — thin
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. track — a song
  20. charge — in control
  21. spell — magic
  22. tear — to rip
  23. spell — letters
  24. charge — a price

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