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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cue — for pool
  4. tube — the underground
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cue — a signal
  7. board — a committee
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ground — a position
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — the earth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pit — in a race
  18. tube — a container
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. mouse — for a computer

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