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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. firm — decided
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. drill — the tool
  6. degree — an amount
  7. lie — to recline
  8. court — for sport
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. court — of law
  11. drill — a practice
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — happy
  14. drill — army training
  15. degree — temperature
  16. court — of a king
  17. firm — steady
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — a company
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. degree — from a university
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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