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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. pit — a hole
  4. rock — music
  5. march — the month
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — the earth
  8. march — the month
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — a stone
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. suit — clothes
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. march — music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ground — crushed
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bowl — a dish

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