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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. field — farmland
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. snap — to click
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pit — in a race
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rash — a series
  11. pit — a hole
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — a list
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. field — a subject
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fine — all right
  19. rash — hasty
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. rock — a stone
  23. field — for sport
  24. suit — in cards

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