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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — in a race
  3. drill — army training
  4. present — the time now
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bank — for money
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. net — after costs
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. present — a gift
  14. land — ground
  15. bank — for money
  16. net — in sport
  17. land — to come down
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ball — a great time
  21. net — for catching
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. land — a country
  24. present — there

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