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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. board — a committee
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pitch — completely
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. board — to get on
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pit — a hole
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. branch — a division
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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