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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cap · suit · cell · bark · pitch · race

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. race — the arms race
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cap — a lid
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitch — completely
  12. suit — clothes
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. cell — a phone

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