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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. pit — a hole
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. key — in music
  9. march — the month
  10. stand — to bear
  11. march — the month
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wound — an injury
  17. pit — in a race
  18. key — the most important part
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — for a lock
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — a stem cell

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