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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. last — finally
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. roll — a list
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. pit — in a race
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pit — a hole
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. date — the fruit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — final
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. board — a committee
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. roll — a cake
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. last — to go on
  23. board — to get on
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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