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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pit — in a race
  4. key — in music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pit — a hole
  7. capital — a city
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. key — for a lock
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — the most important part
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. capital — money
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. capital — a big letter

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