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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. pitch — completely
  4. prune — to trim
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. board — to get on
  7. field — for sport
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. tube — the underground
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. tube — a container
  15. board — a committee
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. prune — to trim
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. field — farmland
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. field — a subject

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