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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. club — for dancing
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pit — a hole
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rest — a break
  12. march — the month
  13. firm — steady
  14. rest — what's left
  15. cue — for pool
  16. firm — a company
  17. march — music
  18. cue — a hint
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bat — the animal
  21. club — a group
  22. march — the month
  23. club — for golf
  24. cue — a signal

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