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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. season — in sport
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. suit — clothes
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — in cards
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. rush — hurry
  12. staff — a stick
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. season — of the year
  16. staff — employees
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pit — in a race
  20. row — to paddle
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rash — a series
  24. row — a line

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