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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pit — in a race
  5. ball — a great time
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. suit — in cards
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rush — hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. suit — clothes
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. vault — a safe
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitcher — a jug

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