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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 120 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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. pitch — completely
  3. kid — to tease
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lean — thin
  6. stem — to come from
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bark — to shout
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. suit — to fit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. pit — in a race
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bark — of a tree

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