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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a list
  4. toast — bread
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mug — to rob
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. cell — a phone
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. net — in sport
  13. cell — in biology
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. mug — a cup
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. net — for catching
  19. fine — all right
  20. mug — a face
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. net — after costs

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