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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. can — a tin
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. can — a tin
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. wind — moving air
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. cell — a phone
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cell — in biology
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pit — a hole

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