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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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. pit — in a race
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. wind — moving air
  4. key — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. track — to keep track
  7. cell — a phone
  8. wind — moving air
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — boats
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — a skill
  16. key — for a lock
  17. ball — a great time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. track — a song
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cell — in biology
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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