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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. track — a path
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fine — high quality
  5. track — a song
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. object — to protest
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fine — all right
  24. rock — music

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