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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cap — a hat
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pit — a hole
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. firm — a company
  11. face — to confront
  12. game — wild animals
  13. march — music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. march — the month
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. cap — of ice
  18. game — a match
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. march — the month
  21. firm — steady
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. cap — a lid
  24. firm — decided

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