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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pit — a hole
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. pop — soda
  9. pit — in a race
  10. roll — a list
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mark — a trace
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. board — a committee
  16. mark — a grade
  17. board — to get on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pop — 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