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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. object — to protest
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — in a race
  8. charge — a price
  9. bat — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. degree — an amount
  15. charge — in control
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. object — an aim
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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