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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. cue — for pool
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a signal
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. stock — shares
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. foot — a measure
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pit — in a race
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stock — goods
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. capital — money
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cue — a hint
  22. capital — a city
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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