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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. pit — in a race
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tube — a container
  7. suit — in cards
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. key — in music
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pit — a hole
  15. spell — magic
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rule — a law
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. spell — letters
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. spell — a short time

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