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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: bay · mate · pit · race · kick · roll · rash · suit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pit — a hole
  4. race — the arms race
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. kick — in football
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mate — a friend
  10. race — humankind
  11. rash — a series
  12. roll — a list
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. race — a contest
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. mate — a partner
  19. rash — hasty
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pit — in a race

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