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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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pit — a hole
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. sharp — clever
  10. snap — to click
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. firm — steady
  15. rush — hurry
  16. mate — a friend
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mate — a partner
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. mate — to breed
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cue — for pool

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