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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. wake — a trail
  6. staff — employees
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. staff — a stick
  13. pop — music
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — a tool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. staff — employees
  20. pitch — completely
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — a series
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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