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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. swing — to play on
  7. swing — in golf
  8. present — the time now
  9. clip — to cut
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. can — a tin
  12. present — there
  13. clip — for paper
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stock — goods
  17. present — a gift
  18. clip — a video
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. can — a tin
  21. swing — music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. stock — shares
  24. can — to be able to

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