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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a grade
  4. band — a music group
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. file — a tool
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pass — a permit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pit — a hole
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. file — a document
  24. mark — to pay attention

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