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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. deal — to handle
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. deal — an agreement

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