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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rest — a break
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. fall — to drop
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fall — the season
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bound — certain
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bear — the animal

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