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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 116 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. pit — in a race
  3. wake — a trail
  4. season — in sport
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. season — of the year
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a hole
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. wake — before a funeral

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