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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · saw · current · hide · rash · content · temple · bowl

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. current — electric
  5. content — the amount
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. saw — the tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitch — completely
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. current — of water
  23. content — happy
  24. current — happening now

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