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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 116 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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. board — to get on
  4. land — ground
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. land — a country
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a committee
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bass — the fish
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. land — to come down
  24. perch — the fish

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