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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 116 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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stand — to bear
  3. pit — in a race
  4. cue — a signal
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cue — a hint
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pit — a hole
  12. field — farmland
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. field — a subject
  15. field — for sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cap — of ice
  19. ball — a great time
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. cap — a hat
  24. deal — a big deal

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