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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of a king
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — wild animals
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mate — a partner
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. game — a match
  20. mate — a friend
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. court — of law
  23. stem — to come from
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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