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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.

Make a worksheet

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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. can — to be able to
  3. season — in sport
  4. stand — to bear
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. can — a tin
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chest — a box
  13. chair — a leader
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pit — a hole
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chest — of your body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. season — of the year
  23. ball — a great time
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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