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

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pit — in a race
  3. present — a gift
  4. suit — to fit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. saw — the tool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. pit — a hole
  13. suit — in cards
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. present — there
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stand — to bear
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. present — the time 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