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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bass — low music
  7. season — of the year
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a cup
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. court — of a king
  16. pit — a hole
  17. court — of law
  18. season — in sport
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mug — a face
  22. court — for sport
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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