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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pit — a hole
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. firm — a company
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. firm — steady
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rule — a law
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. firm — decided
  22. rule — government
  23. stand — to bear
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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