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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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468
Word bank
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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. pit — in a race
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. capital — money
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pit — a hole
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. capital — a city
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. kick — in football

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