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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pit — in a race
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. current — electric
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. face — part of the head
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. current — of water
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. can — a tin
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. net — for catching
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. face — to confront
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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