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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. last — to go on
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. roll — a list
  7. pit — in a race
  8. roll — a cake
  9. spring — a coil
  10. lean — to bend
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — thin
  13. spring — of water
  14. stand — to bear
  15. last — finally
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. spring — the season
  18. pitch — completely
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. last — final
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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