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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. suit — to fit
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — what's left
  5. prune — to trim
  6. suit — clothes
  7. pit — a hole
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. saw — the tool
  12. court — of law
  13. prune — to trim
  14. court — of a king
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rest — what's left
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. court — for sport
  24. rest — a break

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