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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 116 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. club — a group
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. board — a committee
  7. fine — all right
  8. prune — to trim
  9. scale — in music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. club — for golf
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. board — to get on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. scale — size or range
  24. club — for dancing

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