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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. spell — letters
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. track — a path
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spell — magic
  11. track — a song
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — completely
  14. track — to keep track
  15. squash — to crush
  16. staff — a stick
  17. band — a ring
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — a short time
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. band — a music group
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. band — a rubber band

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