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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. track — a song
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a path
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. stem — to come from
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. rock — music
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. pit — a hole
  22. board — a committee
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stem — of a plant

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