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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. wake — a trail
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pit — in a race
  18. plane — a tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. snap — to click

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