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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. staff — employees
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rest — a break
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a path
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. track — a song
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. mark — a trace

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