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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — for a lock
  3. season — in sport
  4. key — in music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. key — the most important part
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. season — of the year
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pit — a hole

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