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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · pitch · rash · mouse · cabinet · ground · pit · foot

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. current — of water
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. current — happening now
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — electric
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rash — a series
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pitch — completely
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. ground — the earth

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