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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. wound — an injury
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. mine — for digging
  13. net — in sport
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stand — to bear
  23. cue — a signal
  24. mine — an explosive

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