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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. drill — a practice
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. cap — of ice
  5. last — finally
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. drill — army training
  10. present — the time now
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cap — a hat
  13. present — a gift
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. present — there
  16. net — in sport
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cap — a lid
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — final
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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