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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mark — a trace
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mark — a grade
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ball — a dance
  11. race — a contest
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a great time
  15. current — of water
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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