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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bass — the fish
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — low music
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. object — to protest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. court — for sport
  13. object — an aim
  14. ground — a position
  15. pitch — completely
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ground — the earth
  21. present — there
  22. object — a thing
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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