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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — hurry
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pitch — completely
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. mine — for digging
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pit — a hole
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. craft — boats
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. prune — to trim

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