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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. spell — letters
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. craft — a skill
  15. kick — in football
  16. spell — a short time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. bear — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. spell — magic

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