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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — thin
  3. fall — to drop
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. wind — moving air
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — in music
  10. staff — a stick
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pit — a hole
  13. fall — to drop
  14. wind — moving air
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pass — a permit
  17. staff — employees
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. kick — in football
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — the season
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. kick — a thrill

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