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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. drill — army training
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a hint
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. suit — in cards
  10. board — a committee
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. suit — to fit
  13. cold — not warm
  14. suit — clothes
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pit — a hole
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. board — to get on
  23. cue — a signal
  24. safe — a strongbox

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