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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. stem — to come from
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — a path
  11. cue — for pool
  12. row — a line
  13. row — to paddle
  14. mug — a cup
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — an illness
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cold — not warm
  22. pit — a hole
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — a face

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