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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: pit · ball · suit · spring · roll · mate · chip · staff

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. chip — to eat
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. roll — a list
  8. spring — the season
  9. spring — a coil
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pit — in a race
  14. staff — employees
  15. mate — to breed
  16. spring — of water
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ball — a dance
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. roll — a cake
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pit — a hole

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