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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. game — a match
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. root — of a plant
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to tire
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. root — the cause
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — boats
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rule — government
  21. game — wild animals
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. root — of a word
  24. game — a kind of play

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