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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. land — to come down
  3. bear — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bear — the animal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pit — in a race
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. land — a country
  14. current — of water
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. stand — to bear
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. current — electric
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pit — a hole
  23. land — ground
  24. current — happening now

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