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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. key — in music
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — in a race
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. key — the most important part
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stand — to bear
  21. spell — magic
  22. key — for a lock
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. hand — help

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