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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 116 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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mate — a friend
  5. stock — goods
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. mate — to breed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. mate — a partner

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