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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. drill — the tool
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bass — low music
  10. ground — crushed
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. drill — army training
  15. content — happy
  16. content — the amount
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. suit — clothes
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. ground — a position
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bass — the fish

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