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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 found your soul ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mark — a grade
  3. present — the time now
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. land — to come down
  7. pit — a hole
  8. present — there
  9. object — a thing
  10. object — an aim
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mate — a friend
  13. present — a gift
  14. mate — to breed
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pit — in a race
  17. land — a country
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. land — ground
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. object — to protest
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — a measure

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