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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. drill — army training
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rule — government
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. swing — in golf
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. mug — a cup
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bulb — for light
  16. swing — to play on
  17. saw — the tool
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mug — a face
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. swing — music
  22. mug — to rob
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. rule — a law

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