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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 116 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pit — a hole
  6. can — to be able to
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pitch — completely
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spring — of water
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pit — in a race
  20. spring — the season
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. drill — the tool
  24. spring — a coil

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