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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a hole
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. mark — a trace
  7. key — the most important part
  8. saw — the tool
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — there
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. key — in music
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. key — for a lock
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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