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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 120 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 ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pit — a hole
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. season — of the year
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pitch — completely

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