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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. capital — money
  4. pop — soda
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pit — a hole
  9. capital — a city
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cell — in biology
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pop — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pop — to visit
  21. mug — a face
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — to rob
  24. capital — a big letter

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