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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. land — to come down
  4. club — for dancing
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. club — a group
  7. pit — in a race
  8. lean — thin
  9. club — for golf
  10. bulb — for light
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. land — ground
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bulb — for light
  22. land — a country
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mouse — the animal

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