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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. spring — of water
  6. rest — a break
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mate — a friend
  16. spring — a coil
  17. spring — the season
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. mate — to breed
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mate — a partner
  24. bowl — a dish

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