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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to point toward
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pitch — completely
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. face — part of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. chair — a leader
  13. face — to confront
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pop — soda
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chair — a professorship

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