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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.

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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — in a race
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — a grade
  19. hand — in cards
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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