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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — for betting
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. land — ground
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. land — a country
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. land — to come down
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. snap — to click
  24. pass — to succeed

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