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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. race — a contest
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fall — the season
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. race — humankind
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. race — the arms race
  24. fall — to drop

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