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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 120 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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bass — low music
  3. suit — to fit
  4. race — the arms race
  5. last — finally
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. suit — clothes
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bear — the animal
  10. race — humankind
  11. tube — the underground
  12. last — to go on
  13. race — a contest
  14. tube — a container
  15. last — final
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — the animal
  18. board — to get on
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — a committee
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. suit — 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