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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 116 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. can — to be able to
  3. drill — army training
  4. can — a tin
  5. drill — the tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. rock — a stone
  9. can — a tin
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — to breed
  12. swing — to play on
  13. present — there
  14. mate — a friend
  15. swing — in golf
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. swing — music
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rock — music

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