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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. shower — rain
  4. pit — a hole
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bear — the animal
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bear — the animal
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. ground — the earth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. shower — to wash
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. kick — in football
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. ground — a position

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