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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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. last — to go on
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pitch — completely
  13. last — finally
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rest — a break
  17. rest — what's left
  18. chest — a box
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pit — in a race
  21. last — final
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pit — a hole
  24. stand — for spectators

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