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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 124 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. key — in music
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. staff — employees
  4. rest — what's left
  5. key — for a lock
  6. rest — a break
  7. staff — a stick
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rest — what's left
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. charge — a price
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. row — a line
  14. pit — a hole
  15. charge — in control
  16. key — the most important part
  17. charge — electricity
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. row — to paddle
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. staff — employees
  23. pit — in a race
  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