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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 120 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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468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. kick — in football
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — music
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. foot — a measure
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pit — a hole
  18. saw — the tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. fall — the season
  24. wave — with your hand

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