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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. roll — a cake
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pit — a hole
  5. present — there
  6. toast — bread
  7. present — a gift
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. roll — a list
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. present — the time now
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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