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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. staff — a stick
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rush — hurry
  6. staff — employees
  7. pit — a hole
  8. staff — employees
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — size or range
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — a weight
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. dip — to sink
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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