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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. rush — hurry
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. key — in music
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. roll — a cake
  11. content — happy
  12. pit — a hole
  13. dip — to sink
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. key — for a lock
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. roll — a list
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. key — the most important part
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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