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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. board — a committee
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. swing — music
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. mug — to rob
  13. board — to get on
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. swing — to play on
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. mug — a face
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bore — gave birth

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