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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. tube — a container
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. swing — music
  7. stock — goods
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. chair — a leader
  12. stock — shares
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. spell — a short time
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. swing — in golf
  18. pit — a hole
  19. tube — the underground
  20. dip — to sink
  21. swing — to play on
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. spell — magic
  24. dip — to dunk

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