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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. stock — shares
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. last — finally
  6. bass — the fish
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. game — a match
  13. last — to go on
  14. stock — goods
  15. bass — low music
  16. tube — a container
  17. present — a gift
  18. game — wild animals
  19. present — the time now
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. last — final
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. present — there
  24. tube — the underground

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