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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. race — a contest
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. race — the arms race
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cap — a hat
  18. board — a committee
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — a gift
  21. race — humankind
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. present — there

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