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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rash — hasty
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. roll — a list
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rash — a series
  12. roll — a cake
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mug — a face
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. dip — to sink
  18. temple — a place of worship

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