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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. race — a contest
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fine — all right
  14. pit — in a race
  15. race — humankind
  16. bat — the animal
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. race — the arms race
  20. drill — army training
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. suit — in cards
  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