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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. content — happy
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. content — the amount
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chair — a leader
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. pit — a hole
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. suit — in cards
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mine — for digging

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