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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spring — the season
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pit — a hole
  8. spring — of water
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pit — in a race
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pop — music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pop — to visit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pop — soda

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