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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. chip — to eat
  5. field — a subject
  6. pit — a hole
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. shower — rain
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. row — a line
  17. chip — for betting
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bay — a horse colour

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