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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — decided
  4. pit — in a race
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wind — moving air
  7. spell — a short time
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wind — moving air
  10. spell — magic
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — steady
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — a company
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. pit — a hole
  21. craft — boats
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spell — letters
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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