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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bore — to tire
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. cap — a lid
  8. can — a tin
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cap — a hat
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bore — to drill
  14. ball — a great time
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pit — in a race
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. ball — a dance
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. suit — to fit

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