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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 120 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — a match
  6. dip — to sink
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. rock — a stone
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. snap — to click
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rock — music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pit — in a race
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. game — wild animals
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rock — to move gently

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