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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitch — completely
  5. saw — the tool
  6. track — a song
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. track — a path
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pass — a permit
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. chair — a leader
  24. tube — a container

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