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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pitch — completely
  3. march — the month
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fine — high quality
  7. tube — a container
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. tube — the underground
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — all right
  24. bark — to shout

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