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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. chest — of your body
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — a weight
  7. club — a group
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pit — in a race
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chest — a box
  12. club — for dancing
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. club — for golf
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chest — of your body
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pit — a hole
  24. suit — clothes

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