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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. wound — an injury
  3. game — a match
  4. kick — in football
  5. game — wild animals
  6. deal — to handle
  7. pop — music
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. pit — a hole
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. season — of the year
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — to visit
  24. game — a kind of play

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