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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pit · object · field · bowl · spring · roll · club · dip

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. dip — to sink
  4. club — a group
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. field — a subject
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. object — to protest
  13. field — for sport
  14. spring — the season
  15. pit — a hole
  16. object — a thing
  17. spring — of water
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. club — for dancing
  20. object — an aim
  21. spring — a coil
  22. club — for golf
  23. field — farmland
  24. dip — a sauce

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