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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rest — a break
  6. tube — a container
  7. rock — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. rock — a stone
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. fan — to cool the air

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