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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — to bear
  4. face — to confront
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. swing — to play on
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. swing — in golf
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to point toward
  14. swing — music
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. branch — a division
  24. ball — a round shape

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