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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: board · leaves · pit · perch · mate · saw · ground · ball

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mate — a friend
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — to breed
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a great time
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mate — a partner
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. board — a committee
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. perch — the fish
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. saw — the tool
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pit — in a race
  22. board — to get on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — a position

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