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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. current — happening now
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. row — a line
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. rule — a law
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. current — of water
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. row — to paddle

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