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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stock — goods
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. stock — shares
  16. roll — a list
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rush — to hurry

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