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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: mug · net · fall · leaves · roll · pit · chip · fine

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. pit — a hole
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fine — all right
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — to drop
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — in sport
  10. roll — a cake
  11. fine — high quality
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fall — the season
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. mug — a face
  17. net — after costs
  18. pit — in a race
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chip — to eat
  24. roll — a list

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