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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. kid — child
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ball — a great time
  5. can — to be able to
  6. kid — to tease
  7. roll — a cake
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — there
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — a hole
  14. present — a gift
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a dance
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. can — a tin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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