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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. content — happy
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rest — a break
  6. roll — a cake
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pit — in a race
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. content — the amount
  13. rest — what's left
  14. court — of a king
  15. pit — a hole
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. court — of law
  22. roll — a list
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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