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

Word bank: pit · squash · lie · rest · date · row · chip · jam

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. row — to paddle
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — in a race
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. squash — to crush
  16. date — the fruit
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. row — a line
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. chip — for betting
  22. squash — the sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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