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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a dance
  10. pit — in a race
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — to recline
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. capital — a city
  19. bear — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pit — a hole
  24. capital — money

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