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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. pit — a hole
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — to eat
  9. degree — temperature
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cue — a signal
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cue — a hint
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. cue — for pool
  19. degree — an amount
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. suit — to fit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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