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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. drill — army training
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cap — of ice
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mug — a cup
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mug — a face
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wake — a trail
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pass — a permit

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