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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pit — in a race
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pit — a hole
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. scale — in music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — a skill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. craft — boats
  20. mark — a trace
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bowl — a football final

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