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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — happy
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — a skill
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. content — the amount
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — boats
  22. game — a match
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stand — to bear

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