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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. mine — for digging
  5. staff — employees
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. march — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. march — the month
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. march — the month
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. stand — to bear
  18. 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