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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lean — to bend
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pit — a hole
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. race — humankind
  13. lean — thin
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — the arms race
  16. stand — to bear
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. stand — for spectators

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