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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 120 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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bulb — for light
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. last — to go on
  6. firm — a company
  7. hand — help
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. last — final
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. rush — hurry
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. firm — steady
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — decided
  19. pit — a hole
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. last — finally
  24. hand — in cards

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