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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pit — in a race
  7. key — the most important part
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. current — happening now
  11. key — in music
  12. key — for a lock
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. current — of water
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. current — electric
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pit — a hole
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a line
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — all right

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