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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: dip · hand · pit · roll · last · mate · board · mug

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mug — to rob
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. board — to get on
  6. mug — a face
  7. hand — help
  8. mug — a cup
  9. roll — a list
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. last — final
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. hand — in cards
  17. pit — a hole
  18. last — to go on
  19. roll — a cake
  20. last — finally
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. mate — a friend

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