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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. tube — a container
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. season — in sport
  11. board — to get on
  12. bore — to drill
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. squash — the sport
  15. board — a committee
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bore — to tire
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. tube — the underground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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