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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stock — goods
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rest — what's left
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rash — a series
  11. rest — what's left
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rock — music
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. rash — hasty
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. stock — shares
  22. pit — a hole
  23. rest — a break
  24. dip — to sink

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