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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: bound · pit · toast · kick · jam · bear · ball · foot

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pit — a hole
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bound — tied together
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a dance
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. pit — in a race
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. ball — a great time
  14. kick — in football
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bound — certain
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bear — the animal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bound — obliged
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bear — the animal

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