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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. pit — in a race
  3. court — of law
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. roll — a cake
  6. mark — a trace
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. roll — a list
  9. court — for sport
  10. present — there
  11. board — a committee
  12. present — the time now
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — to get on
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — a grade
  17. present — a gift
  18. court — of a king
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pit — a hole

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