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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pit — a hole
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. drill — a practice
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. roll — a list
  14. drill — the tool
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. pitch — completely
  19. charge — electricity
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. row — a line
  24. snap — to click

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