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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · firm · tear · mate · pit · hide

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. mate — to breed
  3. firm — steady
  4. pit — in a race
  5. firm — decided
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pit — a hole
  8. firm — a company
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. tear — to rip
  11. mate — a partner
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tear — from crying
  18. hide — to keep secret

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