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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. root — of a plant
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. root — the cause
  9. spell — letters
  10. present — a gift
  11. tube — a container
  12. present — the time now
  13. tube — the underground
  14. mug — a face
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chip — for betting
  18. root — of a word
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. spell — magic
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pit — a hole
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mug — a cup

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