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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rush — hurry
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lie — to recline
  10. key — for a lock
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. key — in music
  13. spell — magic
  14. key — the most important part
  15. wake — a trail
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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