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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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Word bank
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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pitch — completely
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. perch — the fish
  9. dip — to sink
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. board — to get on
  13. game — wild animals
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pit — a hole
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. lean — thin
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — to bend
  23. game — a match
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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