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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 120 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitch — completely
  7. present — a gift
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — a grade
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. lean — thin
  20. pit — in a race
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. foot — a measure
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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