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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: racket · pop · game · foot · pit · mark · squash · lie

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mark — a grade
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. pop — music
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a trace
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pit — a hole
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pop — soda
  21. game — a match
  22. pit — in a race
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mark — to pay attention

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