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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · pit · ground · cue · pitch · present · board · mouse

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. board — a committee
  3. present — a gift
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. present — there
  6. ground — a position
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. craft — boats
  12. pit — a hole
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. board — to get on
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ground — crushed
  20. cue — for pool
  21. present — the time now
  22. ground — the earth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitch — a sports field

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