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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pit — a hole
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — electricity
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. object — to protest
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. charge — in control
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. object — an aim
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — boats
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pit — in a race
  22. craft — a skill
  23. object — a thing
  24. charge — a price

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