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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 · roll · toast · tube · deal · stock · racket · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. roll — a cake
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. stock — goods
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. toast — bread
  8. stock — shares
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. tube — the underground
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. deal — to handle
  19. tube — a container
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pit — a hole
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. roll — a list
  24. racket — a loud noise

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