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

Word bank: sharp · track · pit · foot · current · club · pitch · mug

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. club — a group
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. current — electric
  11. track — a song
  12. foot — a measure
  13. current — of water
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — in a race
  16. club — for golf
  17. track — a path
  18. sharp — clever
  19. track — to keep track
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a face
  24. club — for dancing

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