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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. game — a match
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pit — in a race
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. shower — rain
  15. pit — a hole
  16. game — wild animals
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. shower — to wash
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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