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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. date — the fruit
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. object — a thing
  8. rush — hurry
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. object — to protest
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. saw — the tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. saw — the tool
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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