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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — a cake
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. toast — bread
  7. net — for catching
  8. content — the amount
  9. present — the time now
  10. net — in sport
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. present — there
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. net — after costs
  18. pit — a hole
  19. mark — a grade
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bulb — for light
  22. content — happy
  23. present — a gift
  24. mark — a trace

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