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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pit — a hole
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lean — thin
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. present — a gift
  14. key — in music
  15. field — for sport
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. field — a subject
  18. field — farmland
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. key — for a lock
  24. lean — to rest against

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