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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 120 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mate — a partner
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. season — in sport
  17. chest — of your body
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. chest — a box
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. mate — to breed
  24. current — happening now

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