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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 124 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. net — for catching
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. net — in sport
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. pit — a hole
  20. net — after costs
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. game — a kind of play

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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