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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. hand — in cards
  6. pit — in a race
  7. roll — a list
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. wax — to grow
  15. roll — a cake
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. pitch — completely
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. hand — help

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