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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. squash — to crush
  5. track — a song
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. cap — a hat
  8. present — the time now
  9. plane — a tool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pit — a hole
  12. track — a path
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. track — to keep track
  16. cap — of ice
  17. squash — the sport
  18. present — a gift
  19. dip — to sink
  20. present — there
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. cap — a lid

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