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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pop — to visit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lean — thin
  11. scale — in music
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pop — soda
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. mug — a face
  17. pop — music
  18. chair — a leader
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pit — in a race
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a cup

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