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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: wind · rush · pit · arm · row · mark · can · cap

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mark — a grade
  4. cap — of ice
  5. can — a tin
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cap — a lid
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. wind — moving air
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wind — moving air
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. mark — a trace
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. row — a line
  19. cap — a hat
  20. can — to be able to
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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