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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cap — a lid
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cap — a hat
  12. stem — to come from
  13. net — for catching
  14. march — music
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. net — in sport
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cap — of ice
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. net — after costs
  23. march — the month
  24. pit — a hole

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