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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wind — moving air
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. key — in music
  17. dip — to sink
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pit — in a race
  22. kick — in football
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. wind — moving air

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