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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. firm — decided
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. race — the arms race
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pop — soda
  11. pit — in a race
  12. firm — a company
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. toast — bread
  16. race — humankind
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. race — a contest
  22. pop — music
  23. firm — steady
  24. rush — hurry

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