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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bound — obliged
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — a position
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fall — to drop
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ground — crushed

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