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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. net — for catching
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. net — after costs
  16. net — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fan — to cool the air

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