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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — thin
  5. spell — a short time
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spell — magic
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. spell — letters
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bat — the animal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fine — high quality
  19. capital — a city
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. capital — money
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fine — all right

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