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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. craft — boats
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bat — the animal
  9. pit — a hole
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. can — a tin
  17. key — the most important part
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — in music
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. pass — to spend time

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