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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — low music
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. bore — to tire
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. object — an aim
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — of water
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pit — in a race
  19. object — a thing
  20. spring — the season
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bass — the fish
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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