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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. capital — money
  4. present — a gift
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pit — a hole
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. rock — music
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. capital — a city
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pit — in a race
  23. present — there
  24. rock — a 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