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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. suit — to fit
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. band — a ring
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. dip — to sink
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. pit — a hole
  17. band — a music group
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. suit — clothes
  21. perch — the fish
  22. ball — a dance
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ball — a great time

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