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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. root — the cause
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. content — happy
  12. root — of a word
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. pit — a hole
  15. fine — all right
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. content — the amount

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