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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. object — a thing
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a hole
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. object — an aim
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. pit — in a race
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. trunk — of a car

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