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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. tube — a container
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. craft — a skill
  6. dip — to sink
  7. swing — music
  8. mark — a trace
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mark — a grade
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. swing — in golf
  18. tube — the underground
  19. swing — to play on
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. pit — in a race
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. cabinet — ministers

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