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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lie — to recline
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. scale — size or range
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — a line
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. scale — in music
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. stock — shares
  17. row — to paddle
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. stock — goods
  21. rock — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. deal — a big deal

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