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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. land — ground
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mark — a grade
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. tube — a container
  9. land — to come down
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pit — in a race
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. march — the month
  17. land — a country
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pit — a hole
  22. march — music
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. march — the month

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