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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. season — in sport
  5. track — a path
  6. track — to keep track
  7. rest — what's left
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. season — of the year
  12. fine — all right
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. track — a song
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rest — a break

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