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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. scale — in music
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitch — completely
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. scale — size or range
  13. capital — money
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. capital — a city
  18. hand — help
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hand — in cards

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