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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. dip — to sink
  7. chip — for betting
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pit — a hole
  24. chip — to eat

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