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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mug — a face
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. can — a tin
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. roll — a list
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — a tin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. mug — a cup
  17. key — for a lock
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pound — a weight
  20. foot — a measure
  21. key — in music
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. foot — the bottom

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