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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cap — of ice
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cap — a hat
  16. scale — in music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pit — a hole
  20. craft — boats
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cap — a lid
  24. stand — for spectators

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