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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. dip — to sink
  5. pit — in a race
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — completely
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. court — of a king
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pit — a hole
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. snap — to click
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. court — of law
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. court — for sport

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