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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. band — a music group
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pit — a hole
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. tube — the underground
  8. band — a ring
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bear — the animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — a container
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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