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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — all right
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bank — for money
  10. bank — for money
  11. fine — high quality
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mug — to rob
  15. saw — the tool
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lie — to recline
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mug — a face
  24. bank — of a river

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