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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 120 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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. mine — for digging
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a hole
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bass — the fish
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stand — to bear
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bass — low music
  24. rash — a series

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