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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. scale — in music
  5. pit — in a race
  6. file — a tool
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pit — a hole
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. tear — from crying
  12. scale — size or range
  13. file — a document
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. file — a line of people
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. tear — to rip
  21. key — for a lock
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — to bear
  24. deal — an agreement

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