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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pop — to visit
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pit — in a race
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. pop — soda
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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