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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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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: suit · land · ball · stand · rest · pit · bowl · clip

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. clip — a video
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. land — a country
  7. clip — to cut
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pit — in a race
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rest — a break
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. clip — for paper
  20. suit — in cards
  21. land — to come down
  22. pit — a hole
  23. land — ground
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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