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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. chest — a box
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. prune — to trim
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chest — of your body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. chest — of your body
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. rock — to move gently

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