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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. swing — to play on
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. saw — the tool
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. swing — 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