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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pit — a hole
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. spring — of water
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. staff — employees
  14. capital — money
  15. spring — the season
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. staff — employees
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. capital — a city
  21. spring — a coil
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. hide — to keep secret

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