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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — a grade
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. track — a path
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. board — a committee
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. track — a song
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. board — to get on
  16. track — to keep track
  17. land — ground
  18. pit — in a race
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — on a finger

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