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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pop — music
  4. season — in sport
  5. pop — to visit
  6. roll — a cake
  7. season — of the year
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — for betting
  13. toast — bread
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pop — soda
  21. roll — a list
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. chip — to eat
  24. toast — the most admired

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