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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 116 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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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 — in a race
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rush — hurry
  4. land — a country
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fall — the season
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. land — to come down
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. ball — a great time
  19. land — ground
  20. can — to be able to
  21. fall — to drop
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  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