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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 120 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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. can — a tin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — a measure
  16. root — the cause
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. can — to be able to
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. bound — obliged
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bound — tied together

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