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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pit — a hole
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. cue — a signal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mine — for digging
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. date — the fruit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. cue — for pool
  24. dip — to sink

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