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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. row — a line
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mark — a trace
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. row — to paddle
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. jam — in traffic

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