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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bank — of a river
  5. kick — in football
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. spell — letters
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. track — a song
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pit — a hole
  13. track — to keep track
  14. bank — for money
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. spell — a short time
  20. track — a path
  21. spell — magic
  22. bank — for money
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kick — a thrill

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