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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. vault — a safe
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. snap — to click
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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