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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. board — to get on
  3. spell — letters
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. board — a committee
  7. charge — in control
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chair — a leader
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. spell — magic
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. charge — a price
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. plane — a tool
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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