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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. present — a gift
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. present — there
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. pit — in a race
  18. present — the time now
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lean — thin
  22. vault — a safe
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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