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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — a company
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. cold — an illness
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. prune — to trim
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rush — hurry
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — steady
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. ruler — a monarch

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