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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 120 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pass — a permit
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — a safe
  9. content — happy
  10. bore — to tire
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. mark — a grade
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mark — a trace
  16. rest — a break
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bore — to drill
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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