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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. row — a line
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pass — a permit
  5. key — in music
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lean — thin
  11. key — for a lock
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. key — the most important part
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lean — to bend
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pop — music
  24. row — a quarrel

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