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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. fine — high quality
  4. ball — a great time
  5. season — in sport
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ball — a dance
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fine — all right
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — of the year
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cabinet — ministers

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