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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. season — in sport
  3. can — to be able to
  4. content — happy
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. rest — a break
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rest — what's left
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. can — a tin
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. can — a tin
  22. fork — in a road
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. content — the amount

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