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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bank — for money
  4. tube — the underground
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pit — in a race
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rash — a series
  12. rush — hurry
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. tube — a container
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — of a river
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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