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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pit — a hole
  4. degree — temperature
  5. plane — a tool
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. degree — from a university
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. degree — an amount
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pit — in a race

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