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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. file — a tool
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cap — a lid
  7. file — a document
  8. cap — a hat
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — all right
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. mug — a cup
  16. wound — an injury
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. file — a line of people
  19. cap — of ice
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mug — a face

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