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

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rock — a stone
  8. mine — for digging
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — music
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — 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