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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bulb — for light
  11. row — a line
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. craft — a skill
  17. date — the fruit
  18. craft — boats
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — a series
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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