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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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Word bank
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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: pitch · pitcher · ruler · rule · mine · lash · bear · ball

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. bear — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. pitch — completely
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — for digging
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ball — a dance
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. rule — a law
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. rule — government

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