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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pit — in a race
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. ground — a position
  7. rock — a stone
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. scale — in music
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. rock — music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mark — a trace
  24. wake — a trail

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