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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pit — a hole
  5. squash — the sport
  6. object — to protest
  7. row — to paddle
  8. object — an aim
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bank — of a river
  13. squash — to crush
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bank — for money
  16. object — a thing
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bank — for money
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. row — a line
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mark — to pay attention

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