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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mug — a face
  4. lean — thin
  5. march — music
  6. last — to go on
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mug — to rob
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — to bend
  14. mug — a cup
  15. march — the month
  16. last — final
  17. rock — music
  18. last — finally
  19. march — the month
  20. pit — a hole
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pass — a permit
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. racket — a loud noise

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