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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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. key — in music
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mark — a grade
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. net — after costs
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. capital — a city
  16. key — for a lock
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. key — the most important part
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. capital — money
  24. jam — a tight spot

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