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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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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: mouse · cold · pass · pit · current · present · arm · pitch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. present — the time now
  6. pit — in a race
  7. present — there
  8. cold — an illness
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. cold — not warm
  18. cold — the Cold War
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. present — a gift
  24. current — electric

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