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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. firm — steady
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. spell — a short time
  8. swing — to play on
  9. spell — letters
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pit — a hole
  13. firm — decided
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fall — the season
  19. spell — magic
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — in golf
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. swing — music

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