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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — a hole
  7. club — a group
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bound — certain
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bound — obliged
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fine — all right
  14. file — a line of people
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. club — for golf
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a tool
  22. bound — tied together
  23. club — for dancing
  24. file — a document

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