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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. club — a group
  3. row — a line
  4. ball — a dance
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. object — a thing
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. club — for golf
  15. object — to protest
  16. mine — for digging
  17. suit — clothes
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — an aim
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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