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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 116 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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. track — a path
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rash — a series
  14. track — a song
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. wound — an injury
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. snap — to click
  22. rash — hasty
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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