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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fall — to drop
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. branch — a division
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. fall — the season
  9. pit — in a race
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fall — to drop
  13. suit — to fit
  14. deal — to handle
  15. suit — in cards
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. scale — in music
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pit — a hole
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. drill — army training

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