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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. roll — a list
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. season — of the year
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — in golf
  8. lean — to bend
  9. suit — clothes
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — thin
  13. season — in sport
  14. swing — music
  15. pit — a hole
  16. roll — a cake
  17. suit — in cards
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. pit — in a race
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. swing — to play on
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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