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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 120 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 · ball · game · press · rock · track · saw · pit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — a stone
  3. track — a path
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. suit — in cards
  6. game — a match
  7. pit — in a race
  8. track — a song
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rock — music
  11. pit — a hole
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. press — to push
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — a publisher
  18. suit — to fit
  19. press — newspapers
  20. track — to keep track
  21. game — wild animals
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. saw — the tool

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