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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bank — for money
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. spring — of water
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bank — for money
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rest — what's left
  15. chair — a leader
  16. rest — a break
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pit — a hole
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. spring — the season

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