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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. net — for catching
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. hand — help
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — a law
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. net — after costs
  16. suit — clothes
  17. net — in sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — in cards
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rule — government

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