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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pit — a hole
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — child
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chest — a box
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. suit — clothes
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. chest — of your body
  17. kid — to tease
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pitch — completely

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