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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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. staff — employees
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. staff — employees
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. mark — a trace
  11. staff — a stick
  12. swing — music
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — to trim
  16. swing — in golf
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. prune — to trim
  24. jam — in traffic

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