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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: ball · pit · roll · file · suit · mug · saw · bark

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. suit — clothes
  3. ball — a great time
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mug — a cup
  6. file — a tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. file — a line of people
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pit — in a race
  11. file — a document
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. ball — a dance
  15. saw — the tool
  16. mug — to rob
  17. roll — a cake
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. roll — a list
  23. mug — a face
  24. pit — a hole

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