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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 met the new head ________________?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. firm — a company
  5. scale — in music
  6. spring — of water
  7. pass — a permit
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — steady
  10. spring — the season
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — decided
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. scale — size or range
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pass — to succeed

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