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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: rush · rest · lie · bowl · pit · content · ground · cue

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. cue — for pool
  7. ground — the earth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rest — a break
  14. content — the amount
  15. lie — to recline
  16. rest — what's left
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. cue — a hint
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pit — in a race

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