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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mug — a face
  5. mug — to rob
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wind — moving air
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. row — a line
  20. season — in sport
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. season — of the year
  24. wind — moving air

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