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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. squash — to crush
  3. land — a country
  4. rock — a stone
  5. squash — the sport
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wax — to grow
  9. object — to protest
  10. land — ground
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. land — to come down
  14. object — a thing
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — music
  18. ground — the earth
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ground — a position
  23. bank — for money
  24. object — an aim

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