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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 116 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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. band — a ring
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. tube — the underground
  7. band — a music group
  8. pit — a hole
  9. court — of a king
  10. court — of law
  11. object — to protest
  12. tube — a container
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. track — to keep track
  17. court — for sport
  18. track — a path
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. dip — to sink
  24. track — a song

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