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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · kick · season · rock · bass · cue · pit · mine

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. rock — music
  4. bass — low music
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. roll — a cake
  8. rock — a stone
  9. bass — the fish
  10. mine — for digging
  11. kick — in football
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. season — in sport
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. roll — a list
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. season — of the year
  24. pit — in a race

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