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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. net — in sport
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chest — of your body
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. chest — a box
  20. chest — of your body
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. pit — a hole
  24. rush — hurry

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