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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lean — to bend
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. roll — a list
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. date — the fruit
  8. fine — high quality
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. lean — thin
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pit — a hole
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fine — all right
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. roll — a cake

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