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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. fine — all right
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bass — low 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