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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitch — completely
  3. spell — a short time
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bound — tied together
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bound — certain
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. perch — the fish
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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