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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mate — a partner
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rule — a law
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. tear — from crying
  10. roll — a list
  11. rule — government
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tear — to rip
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. mate — a friend
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. tear — from crying
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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