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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. season — in sport
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. club — for golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. club — a group
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. mark — a grade
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. season — of the year
  24. club — for dancing

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