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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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. tube — the underground
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bore — to drill
  15. rock — music
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. lie — to recline
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. tube — a container
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — in a race

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