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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bulb — for light
  3. pit — a hole
  4. firm — decided
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. track — a song
  8. spring — a coil
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — to keep track
  15. chip — to eat
  16. track — a path
  17. bulb — for light
  18. spring — the season
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. spring — of water
  23. last — to go on
  24. firm — a company

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