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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. object — a thing
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — of the year
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. object — to protest
  17. track — to keep track
  18. object — an aim
  19. track — a song
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. track — a path

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