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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. file — a line of people
  10. club — for golf
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. file — a document
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. club — a group
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mate — a friend
  23. file — a tool
  24. ruler — for measuring

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