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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. chair — a leader
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rush — hurry
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. land — to come down
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — a country
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. present — the time now
  19. land — ground
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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