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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. march — the month
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — music
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. march — the month
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. rest — a break
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wound — an injury

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