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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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. hand — in cards
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pop — soda
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. band — a music group
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. band — a ring
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — a hole
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hand — help
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. hide — animal skin

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