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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ground — a position
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. spell — a short time
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. cell — a phone
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. spell — magic
  18. cell — in biology
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. stand — to bear
  23. spell — letters
  24. ground — the earth

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