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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. court — of a king
  9. spell — magic
  10. tube — the underground
  11. court — of law
  12. spell — letters
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. spell — a short time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. court — for sport
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fan — to cool the air

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