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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. roll — a list
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. charge — a price
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. fine — all right
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. charge — in control
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. roll — a cake
  24. lash — an eyelash

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