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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. firm — a company
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wind — moving air
  8. pass — a permit
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. firm — decided
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wind — moving air
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — wild animals
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. firm — steady
  24. snap — to click

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