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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lean — to bend
  5. net — after costs
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lean — thin
  8. pop — to visit
  9. tube — a container
  10. suit — clothes
  11. suit — to fit
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wax — to grow
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pop — music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pop — soda
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — for catching

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