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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. track — to keep track
  3. press — a publisher
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. tube — a container
  7. track — a path
  8. track — a song
  9. fork — in a road
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. tube — the underground
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. date — the fruit
  17. press — to push
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. press — newspapers
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pit — in a race

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