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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: pit · stick · row · pitch · face · fall · rest · rush

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rest — a break
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. face — to point toward
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rush — hurry
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. face — part of the head
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. row — a line
  23. face — to confront
  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