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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. pit — a hole
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. rash — a series
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pit — in a race
  18. deal — an agreement

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