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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. deal — to handle
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. race — the arms race
  10. suit — clothes
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. race — a contest
  13. pit — in a race
  14. row — a line
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — a hole
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pass — a permit
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. season — of the year
  21. race — humankind
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. season — in sport

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