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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bass — the fish
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — finally
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bass — low music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. tear — from crying
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — final
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. chair — a leader
  19. tear — from crying
  20. bank — for money
  21. tear — to rip
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bank — for money
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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