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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 120 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 birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pit — a hole
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pit — in a race
  8. race — humankind
  9. pass — a permit
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. staff — a stick
  14. perch — the fish
  15. suit — clothes
  16. race — the arms race
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. race — a contest
  21. suit — to fit
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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