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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. dip — to sink
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — to bear
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pit — a hole
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. face — to confront
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pit — in a race
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — in a road
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. leaves — lets stay

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