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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — in a race
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mine — for digging
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. march — the month
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. march — the month
  12. pit — a hole
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. march — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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