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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. track — a song
  3. pit — a hole
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ball — a great time
  6. toast — bread
  7. pop — music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a path
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cap — a lid
  13. chip — for betting
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pop — soda
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. cap — a hat
  21. ball — a dance
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pit — in a race

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