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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pit — in a race
  4. rule — a law
  5. object — to protest
  6. staff — employees
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — a thing
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. mark — a grade
  11. field — a subject
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — completely
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rule — government
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. field — farmland
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — an aim
  23. field — for sport
  24. pit — a hole

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