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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rock — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — to breed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mark — a trace
  11. pitch — completely
  12. board — to get on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mate — a partner
  15. shower — to wash
  16. content — happy
  17. mark — a grade
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. shower — rain
  23. content — the amount
  24. suit — to fit

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