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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pit — a hole
  5. face — part of the head
  6. key — the most important part
  7. root — of a word
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. rule — a law
  12. key — in music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rock — music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. face — to confront
  20. last — final
  21. root — the cause
  22. root — of a plant
  23. rule — government
  24. hide — to keep secret

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