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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — employees
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. current — of water
  8. fine — all right
  9. pit — a hole
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. scale — in music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. scale — size or range
  20. chest — a box
  21. staff — a stick
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. chest — of your body

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