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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mate — to breed
  4. rush — hurry
  5. shower — rain
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. net — in sport
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. net — after costs
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. pit — a hole
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rock — music
  23. net — for catching
  24. fine — all right

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