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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — a short time
  4. mate — to breed
  5. cap — a lid
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cap — of ice
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. pit — in a race
  11. net — for catching
  12. pit — a hole
  13. spell — magic
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. band — a music group
  16. band — a ring
  17. net — after costs
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. mate — a friend
  22. net — in sport
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mouse — the animal

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