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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. net — after costs
  4. saw — the tool
  5. net — in sport
  6. march — the month
  7. saw — the tool
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rock — a stone
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. net — for catching
  13. pit — in a race
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. ball — a dance
  16. march — the month
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a hole
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. march — music
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. rock — music

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