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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bear — the animal
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bear — the animal
  10. land — to come down
  11. land — ground
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. prune — to trim
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pit — a hole
  20. prune — to trim
  21. land — a country
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. plane — in geometry

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