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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. perch — the fish
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pop — soda
  11. bank — for money
  12. pitch — completely
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pit — a hole
  16. wound — an injury
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. pop — music
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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