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

Word bank: pit · ruler · season · bay · wake · pitch · rule · row

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. row — a line
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rule — a law
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. season — in sport
  21. wake — a trail
  22. pit — a hole
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — of the year

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