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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bank — for money
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bank — of a river
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mark — a trace
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. mark — a grade
  16. charge — in control
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. bank — for money
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — a price
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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