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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. swing — to play on
  5. present — the time now
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. net — after costs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rash — a series
  15. swing — music
  16. present — a gift
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. net — in sport
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. net — for catching
  23. present — there
  24. pit — a hole

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