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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — in music
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. saw — the tool
  6. cold — not warm
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pit — a hole
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — for a lock
  14. mark — a grade
  15. cold — an illness
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pit — in a race
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mark — a trace
  24. lie — to recline

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