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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. present — the time now
  4. tube — the underground
  5. present — a gift
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. present — there
  10. capital — money
  11. capital — a city
  12. mate — a partner
  13. face — part of the head
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — a signal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — for pool
  19. tube — a container
  20. face — to confront
  21. cue — a hint
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. mate — a friend

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