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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. pit — in a race
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. firm — a company
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. pit — a hole
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ball — a dance
  17. capital — a city
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. capital — money
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. firm — steady

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