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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. craft — boats
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — to be able to
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. can — a tin
  18. squash — the sport

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