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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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 — a hole
  2. mark — a grade
  3. face — to confront
  4. mark — a trace
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. game — a match
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — to fit
  9. field — for sport
  10. face — to point toward
  11. suit — clothes
  12. field — farmland
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pit — in a race
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. suit — in cards
  19. face — part of the head
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. field — a subject
  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