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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 120 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bound — obliged
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bound — certain
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — a hole
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a song
  16. last — to go on
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a path
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wake — a trail

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