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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. lean — thin
  3. mate — to breed
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lean — to bend
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — a partner
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. mate — a friend
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. staff — employees

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