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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. spring — the season
  3. pit — a hole
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. spring — of water
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — the time now
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — in a race
  13. present — a gift
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. pass — a permit
  17. spring — a coil
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — there
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — in music
  24. safe — a strongbox

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