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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pound — a weight
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pit — in a race
  7. current — happening now
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. current — of water
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cue — a signal
  16. current — electric
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. bank — for money
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cue — for pool
  24. rush — hurry

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