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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rest — a break
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. scale — in music
  11. stand — to bear
  12. craft — a skill
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pound — a weight
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rash — a series
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. date — the fruit
  24. scale — size or range

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