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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kick — in football
  4. stock — goods
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pit — a hole
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stock — shares
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. pass — a permit
  13. sharp — clever
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pit — in a race
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. kid — to tease
  24. kid — child

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