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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mark — a grade
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. pit — a hole

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