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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. band — a ring
  8. cue — a hint
  9. season — of the year
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pit — a hole
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pass — a permit
  18. mate — a friend
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. band — a music group
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. season — in sport
  24. cue — for pool

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