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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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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: rule · row · dip · pit · fine · season · pitch · bear

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bear — the animal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. season — in sport
  11. dip — to sink
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fine — all right
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rule — government
  19. row — a line
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. pit — a hole

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