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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cold — not warm
  3. cold — an illness
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rest — a break
  9. face — part of the head
  10. bound — obliged
  11. face — to point toward
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. mug — a face
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bound — certain
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mug — to rob
  22. face — to confront
  23. pitch — completely
  24. bound — tied together

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