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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 116 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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  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. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — in a race
  3. capital — money
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fine — high quality
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cold — not warm
  10. capital — a city
  11. board — to get on
  12. fine — all right
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — a committee
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. cold — an illness
  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