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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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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: lean · pit · bowl · mate · cue · deal · bear · land

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. pit — a hole
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. land — ground
  10. cue — for pool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. lean — thin
  13. cue — a signal
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cue — a hint
  17. deal — to handle
  18. land — a country
  19. mate — to breed
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bear — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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