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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chip — for betting
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. capital — money
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. press — to push
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. press — a publisher
  11. plane — a tool
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. capital — a city
  14. press — newspapers
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — a hole
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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