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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. last — finally
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stock — goods
  5. chip — for betting
  6. fall — the season
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pit — in a race
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pit — a hole
  16. last — to go on
  17. stock — shares
  18. suit — in cards
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. last — final

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