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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: roll · spell · rock · pit · racket · deal · tear · fine

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rock — a stone
  4. roll — a list
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. tear — from crying
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. spell — letters
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — all right
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. deal — to handle
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. tear — from crying
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. spell — magic
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — music

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