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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. foot — a measure
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a cake
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. land — a country
  10. pit — in a race
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pit — a hole
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — in cards
  20. roll — a list
  21. saw — the tool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. suit — clothes
  24. land — to come down

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