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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.

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
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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: roll · hand · rest · date · saw · bay · pit · pop

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. rest — a break
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. hand — help
  11. pop — music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pop — soda
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rest — what's left
  19. date — the fruit
  20. roll — a cake
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. roll — a list
  23. pop — to visit
  24. date — on the calendar

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