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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rest — what's left
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. stock — goods
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wake — a trail
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bulb — for light
  22. stock — shares
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. stock — a soup base

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