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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pit — a hole
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. lie — to recline
  24. plane — a 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