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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. suit — clothes
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rock — a stone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. rock — music
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to click
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. suit — in cards

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