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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: pit · key · straw · ruler · mark · ball · row · mate

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pit — in a race
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a trace
  5. key — in music
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. row — a line
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ball — a great time
  16. key — for a lock
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mark — a grade
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. row — to paddle
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mate — to breed

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