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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bat — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bound — obliged
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ball — a dance
  19. spring — the season
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. spring — a coil
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mate — to breed

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