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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. straw — dry grass
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mate — a partner
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mate — to breed
  9. board — a committee
  10. mate — a friend
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — high quality
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fine — all right
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — to get on
  23. pit — in a race
  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