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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. spring — a coil
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spring — the season
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spring — of water
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fork — a garden tool

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