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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chest — of your body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. chest — of your body
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. land — a country
  9. lie — to recline
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. mate — a friend
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pass — a permit
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. land — to come down
  23. chest — a box
  24. land — ground

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