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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: current · ruler · toast · pit · clip · pass · pitch · present

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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 — in a race
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pitch — completely
  4. toast — bread
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — the time now
  7. current — electric
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. current — happening now
  11. present — a gift
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pass — a permit
  15. current — of water
  16. clip — a video
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. clip — for paper
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. clip — to cut
  22. present — there
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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