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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. rest — a break
  5. stand — to bear
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pit — a hole
  10. key — for a lock
  11. mark — a grade
  12. key — the most important part
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. key — in music
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rest — what's left
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mark — to pay attention

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