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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pit — a hole
  5. game — a match
  6. net — in sport
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. net — for catching
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lean — thin
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. pit — in a race
  15. game — wild animals
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. net — after costs
  20. lean — to bend
  21. toast — bread
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. lean — to rest against

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