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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. march — the month
  3. pit — a hole
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. firm — a company
  7. last — to go on
  8. firm — decided
  9. march — the month
  10. last — finally
  11. firm — steady
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. last — final
  15. toast — bread
  16. march — music
  17. pit — in a race
  18. mouse — the animal

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