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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. game — a match
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. scale — in music
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rest — what's left
  13. board — to get on
  14. season — of the year
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rest — a break
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. game — wild animals
  22. board — a committee
  23. cap — a hat
  24. season — in sport

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