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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. toast — bread
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. spring — of water
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. race — a contest
  9. spring — a coil
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pass — a permit
  12. race — the arms race
  13. club — for golf
  14. spring — the season
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pit — a hole
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fine — all right
  19. club — for dancing
  20. race — humankind
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. club — a group
  24. fine — high quality

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