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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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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: kick · wake · pit · toast · pass · cell · bowl · fork

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pit — a hole
  6. toast — bread
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. cell — in biology
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. pit — in a race
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. fork — in a road
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cell — a phone
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. kick — in football
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pass — to spend time

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