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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — to bear
  6. pit — in a race
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. tube — the underground
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. scale — in music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. scale — size or range
  22. tube — a container
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bowl — a dish

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