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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — in music
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitch — completely
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — size or range
  12. chair — a leader
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lean — to bend
  15. track — a path
  16. lean — thin
  17. march — music
  18. track — a song
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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