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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: cabinet · ball · pit · rock · bear · net · jam · object

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — after costs
  4. object — a thing
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pit — in a race
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — music
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. object — an aim
  15. object — to protest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ball — a great time
  20. net — for catching
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — a stone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. ball — a dance

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