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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cap — of ice
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. pitch — completely
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. foot — a measure
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — a hat
  22. saw — the tool
  23. rush — a thrill
  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