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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. fall — to drop
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pit — a hole
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fall — the season
  14. drill — a practice
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. content — the amount
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mug — a face
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. content — happy
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fall — to drop

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