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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. tear — to rip
  3. rule — government
  4. cap — a lid
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pit — in a race
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rash — a series
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cap — a hat
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mug — a face
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rule — a law
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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